Montclair State University is home to the New Jersey Jackals who play at the school’s very own Yogi Berra Stadium. The independent minor league team was just one of the many outlets that Gil Addeo found to get involved on campus while pursuing a degree in business, some years ago.
“I enjoyed every moment,” Addeo said. “It was a great fit for what I wanted to do. [Montclair State has] a beautiful campus and it had everything I was looking for.”
Addeo was a member of the Student Government Association and was the president of the Pi Alpha Kappa fraternity during his time as a Red Hawk. This is where he put in the work necessary to make an impact at Montclair State.
Addeo talks on WMSC radio at Montclair State.
Photo courtesy of Dave Solomon
Now Addeo has a new job to do — run a professional baseball team and keep them pushing in the right direction. Starting out, he initially viewed working for the team as a unique opportunity to begin his career.
“I started interning for the Jackals a while ago because they really stood out to me,” Addeo said. “It was a great opportunity for me to start work [with the organization] and they gave me more opportunities, like a full time position, so they believed I [could] fill a larger role.”
It was not long before Addeo realized he could do something special with the organization.
“I didn’t view it as a job where I gain credit for it for my classes,” Addeo said. “I was really into it and wanted to take on more because I always wanted to work in baseball. I learned a lot from every department in the organization.”
For this upcoming season, the Jackals were added into the Frontier League, which includes teams from the East Coast and Canada. Addeo is ready to take this team to a new level and stay on the path to potentially return to the playoffs.
While the game itself is a key part of this team, Addeo has a passion for bringing the community together and putting on a show for all of the fans who walk through the gates of Yogi Berra Stadium, every home game.
“There’s such a great history to Yogi Berra Stadium back when Yogi was here and building up the stadium,” Addeo said.
Addeo celebrates with the Can-Am League championship trophy following the team’s victory over the Sussex County Miners on Sept. 14, 2019.
Photo courtesy of Dave Solomon
Home games provide the public with live entertainment events that make a truly spectacular show. A lot of work has to be done so that fans return to the stadium and continue to be a part of the Jackals’ experience.
“With our stadium being located on campus, we push for the students to come out a be part of the Jackals’ community,” Addeo said. “It’s also great being a part of Little Falls because we have Town Night, where we have the mayor throw out the first pitch, all of the schools and organizations and government officials come out. Little Falls does a great job every year.”
The addition of Addeo to the Jackals was, as the owners put it, “the right person at the right time” to fill this important position.
Addeo is experienced with the structure of the team and what they need to do to be successful. He has a blueprint set out on how to get fans to go to games and stay engaged with the content, and has built a strong chemistry with his fellow colleagues and players.
